My Nightly Visitor
by Iridescent Thilbo Bagginshield
Summary: Bella Swan moves in with her father Charlie after her mother Renée is killed in a car crash. While struggling with depression, Bella meets a nomadic vegetarian vampire named Carlisle one evening. Before long, he starts to visit her almost every night. Carlisle gradually heals Bella's broken heart. But can he save her when tragedy strikes again? Rated M for language and lemons.
1. My Mother is Dead

(A/N: Hello! Welcome to my new story! This story will be entirely in Bella's POV until/unless I choose otherwise. Rated M for language and eventually lemons.)

I was sitting in the den, watching my mother Renée prepare to go to her boyfriend Phil's house. They had been dating for about two years now.

"Bella, are you sure that you will be fine here all by yourself?" she queried, putting on her lipstick.

I smiled. "Of course. I'm nearly eighteen. You know that I can take care of myself," I added.

"Yes, I know, honey. But I still don't want you to feel all alone. I can really stay if you want me to. I _have_ been spending rather a lot of time with Phil lately..."

"That's not true. And don't worry about me. I'll be okay here. Go on and enjoy your time with Phil. Tell him that I said hi."

She exhaled deeply. "Well, call me if you need me or if there is an emergency. I will be home before you know it."

"All right."

Once Mom had finished with her make-up, she grabbed her purse. Then we hugged and kissed each other before saying good-bye and "I love you." I heard her car zooming away a minute later.

I looked to see if there were any good shows or movies on TV. Finding nothing, I went upstairs to my bedroom.

The picture of my father Charlie was the first thing that I noticed when I opened the door. He and Mom had been divorced since I was three months old. Mom hated living in the town that he lived in, Forks, Washington, and wanted to move back to California. She wanted Charlie to join us, but he said no.

Despite his refusal, Mom left anyway and took me with her. We lived in Downey, California until my grandmother Marie died when I was eight. Then we moved to Phoenix, Arizona and have been here ever since.

I only visited Charlie for three weeks every August. I wished that I could see him more often, but I wasn't able to. He and I had a nice times together when he wasn't working. (He was the Chief of Police in Forks.) At least I could call him whenever I pleased. I missed him. Luckily, I will be seeing him in two months.

Sighing tiredly, I laid down. One of my novels, _Lord of The Rings_, was next to me. I opened it and started to lose myself in it's pages.

The next thing I knew, I was waking up to the late afternoon sun beaming through my window. I must have fallen asleep without realizing it. The house was quiet; Mom was obviously still at her boyfriend's.

I rested for a while longer until I felt hungry. I climbed out of bed after stretching my arms and went downstairs to get something to eat.

Because there was plenty of last night's ziti and vegetable medley in the refrigerator, I decided to warm that up. I fixed my plate and returned to my bedroom afterwards.

I went online to see if I had any emails. Turns out that Charlie had sent me one.

_Hey kiddo,_

_How are you and Renée? I know that you must be enjoying the beginning of your summer vacation. Renée mailed a copy of your report card to me last week, and I'm very proud of you for maintaining your excellent grades. Not much has been happening here in Forks, so there isn't much to talk about. I have been spending time with Billy and Harry, though. We have been going hunting and fishing when I'm not on duty._

_I miss you, and I can't wait to see you in August. Say hello to Renée for me. Call me when you have the chance. I love you!_

_Dad_

With a smile, I clicked the reply icon and began to type.

_Hi Dad _(I was not allowed to call him Charlie when I spoke to him),

_I am fine, and so is Mom. She's not here right now...she had left to visit Phil earlier and I have no idea when she will be back. Yes, she is still crazy and half out of her mind at times LOL, but we are still having fun together. We had gone to a carnival last Friday._

_My summer vacation is going great so far. I haven't really done anything except read, watch TV, hang out on my laptop, and sleeping late lol. Mom is thinking about going to a California beach for a week sometime in July. I know that we'll have fun. I've been working so hard in school (hence my excellent grades) that I need some relaxation. I'm glad to hear that you are still spending time with Billy and Harry. Tell them that I said hi._

_I also miss you and am aching to see you. I don't even know if I can wait until August for my visit. I promise to call during the week. I love you too, Dad!_

_Bella_

Once the message was sent, I ate my food while surfing the internet.

I got bored after a few hours and shut off the computer. I washed my plate before heading to the den to see the 11 o'clock news. There had been two fires, but no one had been killed today. I was happy about that.

Mom still hadn't returned when I had gone to bed around one, but I wasn't concerned about it. She often spent the night with Phil. She didn't call, but that wasn't strange either. I knew that she would call or text me when she was on her way home. If she didn't forget to, that is. She nearly always did.

With that in mind, I turned off my lamp and went to sleep.

XXX

I had breakfast alone the next morning. To my astonishment, I had gotten up earlier than I usually would have on a summer day.

Checking my phone and the house's answering machine, I noticed that Mom still didn't contact me. I began to have a feeling that something may have been wrong, but I dismissed it. I was probably just over-worrying.

For the next couple of hours, I read _The Lord of The Rings_ in the den. The anxiety that I had experienced at breakfast grew little by little. I tried to ignore it, but I was unable to.

I saw that the 12 o'clock news was about to come on when the house phone rang. I answered it quickly.

"Hello?" I said, turning on the TV.

"Hi Bella," Phil greeted. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing okay. How are you?" I returned.

"Pretty good. I just wanted to know if Renée made it back? She left nearly an hour ago, but hasn't called. She usually does as soon as she gets home."

Now, I was confused. The drive to his place was only about ten minutes, fifteen if traffic was held up. Why wasn't Mom here yet? Had she gone somewhere?

Frowning in worry, I responded, "No, she hasn't come back. I really don't know where she could be. She never called or texted me either. Neither of us spoke since yesterday..."

"First up is breaking news!" a female news anchor declared on TV. "A car collision at the intersection of El Leo and El Gato around 11:06 has taken a life. Witnesses say that a white Honda ran the red light and crashed into the driver's side a dark-blue Pontiac before speeding away. The driver of the Pontiac, identified as 36-year-old Renée Swan, was pronounced dead at the scene..."

The phone slipped out of my hand. All I could do was gape at the TV screen numbly.

Mom...my mom...

My mother was...dead.

(A/N: **PLEASE REVIEW!** Did I begin the story okay? Tell me what your opinions are, and **no flames please**.)


	2. The Funeral and Final Good-byes

All I could do was gape at the TV without seeing it.

My mother was dead. She had been taken away from me. Killed by someone who was too cowardly to own up to what he/she had done.

Before I was able to think of anything else, I heard a voice underneath me. I looked down and realized that the phone was on the floor. I bent over to get it.

"Hello? Bella? Are you there? Hello?!" the voice nearly shouted.

I didn't answer whoever it was. I forgot who I had even been talking to. I just pushed the "End" button and sat down.

Mom was gone. She would never come home. She would never hug me or kiss me or tell me that she loved me again. I would not see her face or spend time with her anymore. The smile that she gave me yesterday was the last one that I'd see that was not in a photo. The last time that we had fun would be the day she and I had went to the carnival.

I had no idea of how long I remained on the sofa. I was in a daze, too stunned to feel any other emotion besides shock. However, the next thing I knew, there was a loud knock on the door.

"Just a minute," I yelled. I walked over to the open it. Two cops were standing on the porch.

"Hello. Are you Isabella Marie Swan?" the one on my right queried. (That is my full name.)

I nodded. "Yes. If this is about my mother Renée, you don't have to tell me. I already know...I saw what happened on the news a while ago," I explained.

The other one pursed his lips. "Well, that gives us one less thing to do. My partner and I came to tell you that, and also to inform you that your mother has been taken to San Ricardo's Hospital. Do you need to be escorted there? Where is your father?" he inquired.

"He lives in Washington. My parents had divorced when I was three months old," I added when they frowned in bewilderment. "I'll have to call him soon. He will probably fly down here."

"Do you have anybody to stay with until then? Any other family members or friends?"

"Yes. Mom's boyfriend can look after me. His name is Phil Dwyer."

"Okay."

I grabbed my cell phone, keys, and a novel before rejoining the policemen. After sitting in the cruiser, they drove to the hospital. I called Phil on the way there.

He answered immediately. "Bella? Bella, why did you hang up on me?" he demanded.

I ignored his questions. "Sorry. Phil, I need you to meet me at San Ricardo's hospital," I stated in a dream-like voice.

"Why?"

Gulping thickly, I responded, "Mom is there. She was in a car accident."

There was a long pause. "I'm in my car now! Is Renée all right?! When did the accident happen?"

"After she left your place."

"But is she okay?"

I knew that I had to be honest with him, and I couldn't figure out how to. Stalling would cause him to be even more nervous, but telling him that Mom was dead right off would make the situation worse.

Phil spoke once more, interrupting my thoughts. "Bella, honey, please talk to me. Are you still there, baby?"

"Y-Yes. I'm here."

"Good. So, do you know how your mom is? Has anyone told you about her condition?"

"The news did. That was how I found out."

"And...? What did they say?"

I was going to have to tell him now. There was no way to keep the truth from him any longer.

"S-She's...Mom's dead, Phil. The person who crashed into her car ran the red light. He or she hit Mom's side of the vehicle and killed her. Then he or she just drove away. That's all I know," I concluded.

Phil went mute. All I could hear was the cruiser's engine.

"Dead? Renée is...dead?"

"Yes."

The next thing I knew, there was a _click_, followed by the sound of beeping. I hung up my cell phone. I felt too lifeless to call him back to make sure that he wasn't going to do anything drastic.

We arrived at San Ricardo's minutes later. One of the policemen-Deputy Landers-opened the door for me. I thanked him and followed him and Officer Quint into the building. They were speaking to a receptionist at the main desk when I noticed Phil approaching us. I sighed in relief. At least he physically okay.

"Bella!" he gasped, tears sliding down his cheeks. He embraced me and I hugged him in return. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," I whispered. I honestly didn't.

Deputy Landers nodded to Phil when he moved away. "So you are the late Renée Swan's boyfriend Phil Dwyer," he declared.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"Miss Swan here told us that you could look after her until her father comes?"

He inclined his head. "She's right. I know that Renée would want me to if something happened to her."

Officer Quint pursed her lips. "I understand. Well, if you can take care of everything from here on out, my partner and I are going to leave. Don't forget to call your father, Miss Swan," he added, turning to me.

"I won't," I mumbled.

The policemen shook our hands, telling us that they were sorry for our losses. Then we bid each other good-bye.

After Phil had a talk with the receptionist, he and I sat in the waiting area. Neither us really spoke. I was in shock, and he was too distraught. He mostly wept quietly into one hand as he rubbed my back with the other.

Fifteen minutes later, a male doctor came in the room. "Phil Dwyer and Isabella Swan?" he announced.

We stood up.

"Here we are," Phil remarked, wiping his face.

The doctor gave a tiny, sympathetic smile. "Hello. My name is Dr. Korvin. I believe that you are both here for Renée Swan?" he queried.

"Mm-hmm," Phil replied.

Dr. Korvin waved his clipboard. "Follow me, please."

Phil slid his arm around me as we trailed after him. I lost track of the number of corridors we passed through before we had entered the morgue.

The doctor led us to a body bag in the corner of the room. "I have to warn you that Renée had been significantly injured. It is likely that she had died instantly or almost instantly due to the trauma in her skull and brain. Her left arm, left leg, and five ribs were broken or fractured. Do you still wish to view her?"

Phil choked on a sob. "I don't know. I don't know if I can stand to see my baby in that condition." He looked at me. "Bella, do you want to?"

"Yeah, I guess," I responded in an empty voice.

He nodded to Dr. Korvin, who opened the bag to reveal Mom. The left side of her body was mangled, but the right side was untarnished.

I leaned over to kiss the cheek that wasn't bruised and hugged her. "I wish that I had the chance to say one last good-bye to you. I miss you so much already. I know that I always will. I hope that wherever you are, you are happy. I love you, Mom."

Phil also kissed and embraced her. He said something to her, but I couldn't hear it because he was whispering. Then he gave her one last kiss, and I did too.

Dr. Korvin zipped up the bag. "I know that this must be a difficult time for the both of you. If either of you want to talk to someone, I know a grief counselor here who will be more than glad to help you," he stated.

We inclined our heads.

"Is there anything else that I may do for you? What do you wish to do with Renée?"

"You should ask Bella. She is her daughter and only kin," Phil pointed out.

Dr. Korvin raised his eyebrows at me questioningly.

"I want to have a funeral for her. Mom would want it."

"Okay. We will prepare her for one, then."

After they had exchanged a few more words, Phil drove to my house. The trip went by quickly because I was in my own world. We were parking in front of the garage before I knew it.

I opened the door and sat on the couch. Phil laid his hand on my arm.

"Bella, you should call Charlie now. I'm going to fix lunch," he remarked.

"Sure."

I took my cell phone out and dialed Charlie's number. He answered it on the third ring.

"Hi Bella! I was just thinking of you!" he exclaimed.

"Hey, Dad," I greeted lifelessly.

My voice caught his attention immediately. "Bella, what's wrong?" he queried.

Unable to find a way to break the news to him gently, I simply responded, "Mom died late this morning. She was in a car accident. The person who crashed into her vehicle just drove off."

Charlie was mute for a long time. I had started to wonder if the call had disconnected when he finally spoke.

"Oh, my God. I...I can't believe it. Do you want me to come there? I will if you need me to," he added.

"Yeah. It will probably be better if you did. I might be told that I have to stay with you until I'm eighteen. Plus, I'll need help with the funeral arrangements."

"I understand. I will try to get the next available flight out of Port Angeles. You holding up okay?"

"I guess. I don't know," I repeated.

"Are you by yourself?"

"No. Phil is here with me."

He exhaled deeply. "All right. I'll see you soon, baby. Just hang in there for me. When I arrive in Phoenix, I'll call you."

"Okay. Love you."

"Love you too, Bella." _Click._

Phil eventually returned with chicken noodle soup. I ate mine mechanically, not tasting one spoonful.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. I could never quite remember much of what happened during the afternoon and evening hours. I just sat on the couch, not moving or talking unless Phil spoke or asked me a question.

He spent half of the time crying while stroking a picture of Mom. At other times, I noticed him watching me out of the corner of my eyes. He was probably afraid that I would snap or break down without warning. I didn't blame him.

Gradually, the sky grew darker until it was completely black. Phil turned on the lamp.

Charlie called me around 11:30 to let me know that he was in a hotel not far from my place. He would come in the morning since it was too late to right then.

After hanging up, I drifted to my bedroom and changed into my nightclothes. Then I turned on the air conditioner and laid on my bed.

I didn't know whether or not I slept. The haze that surrounded me when I found out that Mom was killed had lingered. It probably did in my dreams too, if I had any.

XXX

When I stepped into the kitchen the next morning after getting dressed, Phil was already there cooking breakfast. He looked as if he hadn't slept. Shadows were under his dull eyes.

"Hi Bella," he grunted.

"Hey," I returned quietly, sitting at the table.

A plate of eggs and bacon was laid in front of me within a couple of minutes. I wasn't hungry, but I tried to eat so that I would hurt his feelings. Besides, Mom wouldn't want me to starve myself.

It took time, but I managed to eat all of my food. Phil stacked the plates, cups and silverware in the dishwasher. I left to watch TV in the living room, but I ended up staring into space until my cell phone rang. It was Charlie.

"Morning, honey. I'm about to be on my way to your place now. Listen for my knock," he added. (He knew where I lived. He had visited Mom and I here before.)

"Okay. Be careful," I warned.

"I will. See you soon."

"Bye."

He hung up.

I glanced at Phil. "Dad's coming," I stated.

"All right. Will you be staying with him?" he inquired.

Shrugging, I replied, "Maybe. I don't know. Do you think that it would be better if I did?"

He pursed his lips. "I don't know either."

Fifteen minutes later, I heard a car pull up outside. I opened the door when Charlie knocked. We embraced one another tightly after saying hello.

"I'm here now, baby. I'm here," he whispered, kissing my temple.

Then he let me go to shake Phil's hand. "Hi. I'm Charlie. You must be Renée's boyfriend, Phil. Thank you for looking after my daughter."

"Yes. It's nice to meet you, Charlie. And it was no trouble."

After that, time just seemed to fly. Charlie and Phil almost immediately started the funeral preparations for Mom. I was still too out of it to pay attention to any of what was said. But I did help them with the flowers because I knew which ones she had liked. Tiger lilies, red and pink roses, daisies, and blue asters. They managed everything else: the funeral costs, the casket, the obituaries, the headstone, a grave at a nearby cemetery, etc.

They both had more than enough cash for all of the expenses. (They both had well-paying jobs.) In fact, Charlie gathered half of the money while Phil dished out the rest of it. They paid everything once their loot was together and Mom's funeral was scheduled for the day after tomorrow at 11:00am. The viewing was at 10:00am.

We called her friends to let them know about what happened, and when the funeral was. Many of the began to cry as soon as we told them the news. I couldn't blame them. All of her friends truly liked/loved her.

I was completely numb for the entire time. All I could do was stare into space. Phil wasn't the only one keeping an eye on me now; Charlie was too. They often whispered to each other while turning to gaze at me. I would have found this irritating if my emotions hadn't been muted. I detested it when people looked at me over and over again.

The only time I ate was if Phil cooked for us. Otherwise, I didn't remember that I needed to. I still never knew if I slept either.

Charlie went to the hotel that evening to check out and returned with a overnight bag. Phil decided to go back to his place. He showed up the next day to help out with the arrangements.

XXX

I got out of bed early on the morning of the funeral. I took a shower, then put on the black dress that I had laid out. Then I joined Charlie and Phil in the kitchen for breakfast. They were already wearing their suits.

At nine thirty, we left for Saint Monica's Funeral Parlor. We arrived there ten minutes later.

Reverend Granger was in the lobby when we entered the building. He greeted us cordially, and when we shook his hand, I did so absentmindedly. I vaguely noticed Phil laying the obituaries on the table.

Every one of Mom's friends showed up, as well as some of her old students and their parents. (Mom had been a Kindergarten teacher.) The people who knew me either patted my arm, hugged me, or offered words of sympathy or comfort. However, I was too withdrawn to do anything but nod.

Just about everyone cried during the viewing, and even more so when the funeral was held. Charlie himself had gotten a little teary-eyed. Phil wept enough for both of us, though.

Before I knew it, Reverend Granger was announcing that we may come up to pay our respects to Mom.

Nearly everyone stayed in their seats; they were crying too hard to get a word out. Some of her friends were able to, though. We listened as they told us stories that involved Mom. Others just came up to say that they will always miss and love her.

Charlie and Phil also shared a few precious memories of her.

"I remember the day that I met Renée less than nineteen years ago clearly. She was the most beautiful and interesting woman that I had ever known. We got to know each other, and it wasn't long before we started dating. Renée and I quickly fell in love after that.

"Then something unexpected happened. She became pregnant with Bella, our daughter. I proposed to her because I felt that it was the right thing to do. Our engagement only lasted a month, and then we were married.

"Unfortunately, things didn't turn out as well as I hoped it would. Renée hated living in Forks. She wasn't used to living where it was cloudy and rainy nearly all of the time. She tried to brighten my house up by painting my wooden furniture yellow. Being pregnant didn't help matters either. She grew depressed, and she wasn't too happy with me for trapping her in a place that rarely had sunshine. Plus, she didn't know anybody in town," Charlie explained.

He stopped talking for a moment to wipe his eyes. "I tried to make things better for her, but it didn't work. She eventually left and took Bella with her. She had wanted me to go with her, but I refused to because of my job. I'm the Chief of Police at home. Anyway, we filed for a divorced and had it finalized more than a year later. We still loved each other, but knew that our relationship just wasn't meant to be.

"In spite of this, Renée and I were still very good friends. We often talked, usually because of our daughter. We made sure that we were all doing okay.

"The last time that I spoke to Renée before she died was three weeks ago. She also mailed Bella's report card two weeks after that. She was telling me how happy she was with her life and how proud of her daughter she was. She mentioned that her relationship with Phil was going great too. Every time I think of it, all I hope was that she was feeling just as happy before she died. I know that she is just as happy in heaven. She led a wonderful life and was an amazing person. So Renée, if he can hear me, I just want you to know that I'm going to miss you. You were the best friend that anyone could have. Love you."

Everybody applauded as Phil stood in front of the casket. He waited until it was quiet to speak.

"Charlie is right. Renée was an extraordinary woman. She loved everyone. She was intelligent, creative, fun to be around. She was thoughtful and cared about people who were less fortunate than she was. And God, she was perceptive. I swear that she knew what somebody was like ten minutes after she met them. That was probably why she chose to date me.

"I didn't know Renée for as long as most of you have, but I felt as if I had known her all my life. I fell deeply in love with her quicker than I expected to, but I didn't consider it a bad thing. I had planned to ask her to marry me before the year was over. But now...but now, I c-can't. I wish that I had proposed to her sooner. Maybe her life would had gone down a different path, then. However, I am not capable of going back in time. And I would if I had the ability to. I only hope that wherever Renée is, she knows how much I love her. I miss her so much. We all do, I'm sure. Goodbye, Renée. I wish that I had more time to be with you. I love you, darling, and I pray that you are happy," he stated.

The audience clapped, and I went up to say my good-byes to Mom.

I nodded in the direction of the front pew on the left. "Everything that my dad and Phil said about Mom is true. But every one of you know this already. And besides all of that, she was the best mother in the world. She was always there for me when I needed her. She listened to me if I had to talk to her about anything. She comforted me when I was angry or sad. And she picked a couple of days in the week for us to go out and have fun. It seemed like we were always having fun, even at home. She was not a good cook most of the time, but she did make exceptional lasagne, pot roast, roast chicken, and turkey.

"Our very last outing was at the carnival last Friday. Mom got on every ride and played all of the games. She was always one of those people who would try anything as long as it was worthwhile and/or not dangerous. But she didn't know what was half of the time, so I often had to tell her.

"While she and I were eating popcorn, Mom was telling me about how much she was enjoying herself. She also went on about how she wanted to continue being happy. She had me, things were going perfectly with Phil, and she enjoyed every moment teaching her Kindergarten students.

"I know for a fact that most, if not all of them, will remember her forever. As a teacher, Mom did her best to influence her students positively. I'm sure she did.

"The only thing that I wish is that Mom had more time to be with us...to be with me. I miss her so badly, even though I'm too dazed to feel any particular emotion. But that doesn't mean that I don't mean it. I really do miss her. I would say that I wish that she could go on being happy, but I know that she is in heaven as much as she was here on Earth, if not more," I declared.

I turned to look at Mom's coffin. "I will always love you and keep your memory alive. And I will continue you make you proud as often as possible. Enjoy yourself in heaven. I know that you will be watching over me up there. Good-bye, my dearest mother."

Once the applause had died down, Reverend Granger finished the sermon. Then we all drove to the cemetery.

The crowd assembled at Mom's grave in due time. The reverend quoted a verse from his Bible and recited a prayer. After Mom's old students released the doves, we placed our flowers on the casket.

Finally, Mom was laid to rest. I handled it better than I thought I would; I had wondered if I was going to break down at last. Phil cried silently, tearing rolling down his face. Charlie buried his in his hands.

Nearly everyone else wept louder and stormier. I had to cover my ears.

The casket let out a dull thud as it reached the bottom of the grave. Charlie and Phil spoke to Reverend Granger for a bit. After that, we took one more look at the grave before leaving the cemetery.

XXX

I spent the next day packing my clothes and other important belongings. I was going to live with Charlie for a while.

Mom had left everything to me in her will. I decided to keep most of it in storage, but I was going to take some of it with me. I gave whatever else I didn't want to Charlie and Phil. When I mentioned that I would sell the house, Phil offered to buy it from me.

"You might want to come back and visit it one day," he pointed out.

I just nodded vaguely.

So he purchased the house after it was sold. We looked through it one last time, and after I had bidden it a silent farewell, Charlie put my bags in the trunk of his rental car. Then we said good-bye to Phil.

"I'm going to miss you, Bella. Please call me sometime and let me know how you are doing," he murmured as we hugged each other.

"I will. You can also call me. I'm gonna miss you too," I added.

Charlie shook his hand. "Thanks again for looking out for Bella before I came, and for helping out with the funeral. I am very grateful to you for that."

Phil waved his hand. "Don't mention it. I was glad to lend you a hand. Good luck with everything."

"Thanks. Same to you."

I embraced Phil one more time before getting in the rental car. Charlie and I waved to him before we drove away. Our flight to Port Angeles was at 12:29pm, and it was 9:03am.

When we arrived at the airport, Charlie piled my suitcases on the luggage cart. We had ourselves scanned before getting our bags taken care of.

The waiting room was quiet. Not many people in Arizona traveled to Washington. I just sat in my chair without talking. Charlie read a newspaper, glancing at me every once in a while to make sure that I was okay.

Our plane came right on time. I slung my backpack onto my shoulders and waited in line. Charlie and I handed a man our tickets, and we boarded the plane. Pretty soon, we were taking off.

I spent most of the three-hour flight gazing blindly at a novel. However, I turned the pages so that Charlie wouldn't worry. He decided to have a nap after some time. At 2:10 PST (time moved back an hour since we were in a different time zone), the flight attendant announced that the plane was about to land soon. I woke Charlie up to let him know.

We landed in Port Angeles safely. Charlie and I collected our things and got off the plane.

Luckily, it did not take forever for our suitcases to come. They usually did. We took them to his police cruiser that was in the reserved parking lot.

The ride to Charlie's house lasted an hour or so. Once there, we carried my suitcases up to my bedroom that I used to sleep in for only three weeks a year. I would be using it for a longer period of time now that I lived with Charlie.

I spent the rest of the afternoon putting my stuff away and cooking dinner. I wasn't really hungry. I had forgotten what it was like to be hungry since Mom had died. But I made myself eat all of the food that was on my plate. Charlie devoured his meal as if he were starving.

After he and I were finished, I washed the dishes. He headed to the living room to watch TV. I drifted upstairs to my bedroom presently to rest. The next thing I knew, I fell asleep.

(Later)

I woke up when it was dark. It was so dark, in fact, that I didn't know where I was for a couple of minutes.

My eyes soon adjusted to the black expanse surrounding me. There was an outline of a drawer to my right, with a desk on the other side of it. A chair was in the far left corner of the room. A bookshelf, also on my left, was closer to the bed. One window was in front of me, and another was to the left of the bookshelf. A clock that was on a nightstand behind me on the right said 11:41. All was still and silent.

That was when I remembered that I was now living in Charlie's house.

And then the events of the past crashed into my thoughts.

Finding out that Mom had been killed...

Seeing her lifeless form in the morgue...

The funeral and burial...

My eyes finally welled up with the tears of grief and sorrow that had evaded me for so long. I hid my face in the pillow and wept with heartbroken sobs. Mom was dead and I would never get her back. I would never see her again.

Charlie had obviously heard me because he came into the room seconds later. The bed dipped as he gathered me in the arms. I cried into his neck while he rocked me and stroked my hair.

"Shh, shhhh. Everything will be okay, honey," he whispered in a gentle voice.

"I can't believe that somebody would t-take my mom away from m-me-eee," I hiccuped.

He kissed the top of my head. "I know, and whoever did it will be found someday. Wait and see. Just let it out. You've been holding it in for a long time. That's my girl."

(A/N: **PLEASE REVIEW!** I had gotten so sad in the end that tears filled my own eyes. :'( Let me know what you think. Carlisle will be in the next chapter, and if not, definitely chapter four :) Oh, and I changed the story summary to say "nomadic vegetarian vampire.")


	3. The Golden Eyes

After that night, I fell into a very deep depression. When I was not crying (and I was very often), I was consumed by a numb emptiness.

I was happy that school was out because I never felt like getting out of bed in the mornings. Charlie almost had to drag me out of my room on some days.

"Baby, I know that you are feeling very depressed, but you have to eat. You can't just let yourself starve," he remarked in a low, soft voice once.

He wasn't doing too well either. I caught him staring blankly at the TV whenever I happened to be downstairs. Oddly enough, the TV wouldn't be on half of the time.

Phil called every one or two days to make sure that we weren't doing too horribly. I didn't speak to him much, but I could tell that he wasn't faring any better than we were. He was more concerned about me, though.

"You will recover from this someday, honey. It may take a long time, but you will wake up one morning and not feel as depressed as you do now," he added.

"Mmm," I grunted.

I spent my days in my bedroom. I only left it to cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or to go to the bathroom. On the weekend, Charlie and I went food shopping.

If it wasn't rainy at night, I would hang out the backyard after dinner. This didn't happen often because it had been raining or storming just about every day and evening since I arrived here. If it wasn't raining, then it was cloudy. The gloomy weather matched my depression because I cried every day.

I took strolls on the nights that I could go outside. I never cried when I did, just wandered aimlessly. I would cross my arms over my chest as if to hold myself together. Perhaps I was.

No matter what I was doing, all I could ever think of was how terribly I missed Mom. I still could not understand why she had to die. I wished that she was still alive. What had she done to deserve another person killing her? Why had she been taken from me? I wanted her back. I _needed_ her back.

Even my dreams were centered on Mom. Well, it was actually a nightmare...a recurring nightmare to be more specific.

In it, I was always standing on the corner of El Leo and El Gato streets. Mom's dark-blue Pontiac would soon appear on El Gato street, and the white Honda would not be far off on El Leo.

No matter how loudly I yelled for Mom to stay there, she never heard me. She didn't even notice me waving my arms frantically. All I could do was watch her sing with joy as her vehicle approached the intersection. (Mom always sang along with the radio as she drove.) The Honda would then plow into her car, back up, and drive off quickly. It was only when I rushed to get her out of her damaged Pontiac would she see me. I'd ease her out of it and hold her in my arms.

At that moment, she would take my face in her hand and whisper, "I'm proud of you, Bella. Never stop making me proud as you always do. Never forget how much I love you. Take care of yourself for me. I know that you will be in good hands."

Then her eyes would close, and she would be dead.

"NO! Mom, don't leave me! Please don't leave me!" I would sob every time.

Charlie woke me up then if he wasn't doing his night shift.

"Baby, you were crying in your sleep," he murmured the first time I had the nightmare.

"Oh. Sorry. You can go back to bed...I'm fine. It was just a dream," I told him.

He was having none of that. "Isabella, you wouldn't be crying if it was 'just a dream'," he pointed out.

I didn't respond.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he queried.

"No. I'm fine." Why make him feel worse about Mom's death?

"All right, if you say so."

He kissed my temple and embraced me before leaving the room.

Charlie was participating in the investigation on the person who killed Mom. There were still no leads. No one in Phoenix had seen or noticed the white Honda that was being searched for. I hope that they would find the person soon. He or she deserved to be locked up with the key thrown down the well.

He agreed with me. "You're not the only one who feels this way. Nor are you the last. But we have to find the person responsible first."

There wasn't really much to do at home or in town, so there wasn't anything to distract me from my heartache and resentment.

He tried to make things a little better by promising to take me out to dinner once a week. That sounded good, even though I never felt hungry any longer. At least we could spend the time that we could together. He worked every day, so I was alone in the daytime or all night, depending on his shift.

"We won't just have dinner. I can think up other fun stuff for us to do. You know that."

I nodded, but didn't comment. If I had, I would have told him that there was next to nothing fun to do in Forks. At least there was a beach in La Push, the Quileute reservation not far from here. However, saying so would hurt his feelings.

XXX

The next two weeks passed by drearily. No word came on the person that ended Mom's life. I didn't understand how he or she hadn't been found yet. Was the person hiding his or her car somewhere? Did he or she switch their license plate? It didn't make sense. I hated not knowing when Mom would get justice for her death.

Charlie told me that she would eventually. I just needed to be patient.

"But it's not fair! It's not fair that he or she can just get away with it!" I yelled.

"No, it isn't, but when he or she is found, they will be serving a lot of time in prison. Let the police in Phoenix keep doing their jobs. They are trying their best to locate him or her," he reassured me.

I exhaled deeply. "Okay. I apologize for shouting at you."

He kissed my cheek. "Don't worry about it. I know that you're upset. I know that this is a very hard time for you."

We had gone out twice so far. The first time was to visit his friends Billy Black and Harry Clearwater in La Push on the Sunday before last.

They were happy to see us, especially me. I rarely saw them in the previous years because I would only be around for three weeks since I was one year old.

Charlie had already told them about Mom, so they didn't mention her except once.

"We are very sorry for your loss, Bella. Your mother was a lovely woman," Harry said.

"Yes, she was," Billy agreed. "I know that you must miss her very much."

I inclined my head. "Thank you. And yes, I really do miss her."

After that, Charlie followed them to the small living room to watch a game that was playing. It wasn't raining, so I headed out to the beach. I noticed that Billy's fifteen-year-old son, Jacob, was not around as I did. Not that it mattered; I preferred to be alone anyway.

The ocean had looked grayish-green and somewhat turbulent. A storm would come through later, but I didn't know it at the time. I perched on a huge boulder.

I wasn't certain of how long I had been sitting there when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Jacob.

He was a bit taller than he was last year, but looked the same as he did then. His inky-black hair was still long, and his facial features were still round and boyish.

"Um...hi, Jacob," I greeted.

"Hi Bella. My dad told me that you would be here, so I came to see how you are," he stated, lowering himself onto the boulder next to mine.

I shrugged. "I'm okay for right now."

He pursed his lips. "Mmm. I'm sorry about your mom. I understand how you must be feeling."

That was true, he would. His mother Sarah had died in a car crash also, but this was when he was nine. She had been a very kind, loving woman. In fact, she and my mom were almost alike personality-wise.

Knowing that I had some common ground with Jacob allowed me to open up a bit. We talked for an indefinite amount of time before Dad appeared to let me know that we were about to leave. By then, Jacob and I had grown to be close friends. We exchanged numbers and planned to see each other again.

Last Friday, Charlie and I had dinner at a tiny restaurant called The Lodge. We had been eating there since I was little.

Neither of us spoke much. My thoughts were on Mom, and he was enjoying his food. His friends, Waylon Forge and Cora, had a quick talk with us also.

I remained at home other than that. Charlie did too when he wasn't at his job. We usually kept to ourselves.

Now it was Tuesday evening. I had been in my room all day because I didn't feel like being downstairs, save for when I had to cook.

Charlie was at his night shift, so I was here by myself. I decided to take a walk in the yard because it had stopped raining.

I donned my light jacket and went outside. The air smelled quite fresh as it breezed past me. I wrapped my arms around my chest and began my stroll.

This was always a nice time to let go of my dismal thoughts of Mom. I refused to allow myself to think of anything that caused me to grow more heartbroken. I tried to remember things that filled me with joy instead. Doing this made me feel bit better if it worked.

All I could hear were my squishy footsteps, crickets chirping, and water dripping. The sounds were gentle and comforting.

I peered at the overcast sky above me. The light of the moon couldn't be seen tonight. The clouds were too dense.

"Mom, I love you. I know that you are telling me that you love me too," I whispered.

For a second, I imagined that deep chuckle of hers. I smiled for the first time since the day Charlie and I visited Billy, Jacob, and Harry.

Jacob has actually been a great help to me. He understood the way that I was feeling. We talked on the phone every couple of days or so. We planned to hang out with each other this Sunday. Charlie was visiting Billy and Harry again.

I had been wandering for a long time when I noticed something out of the corner of my eyes. I pivoted to see bright, golden specks in the trees across the yard from me. I realized that they were another pair of eyes a minute later.

The back door was right there. I quickly opened it and half-ran into the house. When I gazed out of the window, the eyes had vanished.

I told Charlie everything about this the next afternoon at lunch.

"I didn't know if it was a bear or not, so I hurried inside," I concluded.

He frowned when I had stopped talking. "I'm just relieved that you didn't go near the wood's edge. Not that you would; you have too much common sense for that. Did the eyes ever move closer to you?" he inquired.

"No. They were gone when I looked out the window to see if they were still there," I replied.

"Good, good. I'll head out there to see if I find any animal tracks where you saw the eyes."

"Please be careful."

"Always am."

Once we had finished eating, I stacked our plates and silverware in the dishwasher. Then I pointed to where I noticed the gold eyes.

Charlie brought his rifle along with him as he marched out to the forest. He inspected the area, then returned in less than ten minutes.

"I didn't find animal tracks, but there were two shoe prints. It was probably just something else," he implied.

"Yeah," I murmured, exhaling deeply in relief.

XXX

Thankfully, I didn't see the gold eyes the next time I went outside, which was a few days later. Nor did they appear on the Saturday evening that I took a walk.

Rain was pouring down in torrents when Charlie and I had arrived at Billy's house the next afternoon. Harry was there, and so was Jacob.

After greeting each other and exchanging pleasantries, Jacob took me to his room.

"So...how are you holding up, Bella?" he questioned as we sat down on the bed.

"Okay, I guess. I don't know. Some days are worse than others," I added.

He bobbed his head in understanding. "I know what you mean. It was like that for me, Dad, and Rachel and Rebecca."

Rachel and Rebecca were his twin sisters. They were about 19. Rebecca lived in Hawaii with her husband. Rachel attended college at WSU.

Neither of us spoke much after that. He gave me a tour of his bedroom, not that there was a lot to see. The room was so small that it was practically a closet.

We were looking over his CDs when he turned to me. "Bella, what do you like to do? You never talked about it."

"Um...I like to read and take walks. Every now and then, I go to the movies if there is a particular film that I want to see."

"That's cool. Maybe you and I could buddy up and go to the movies sometime."

"I would like that. I don't know if anything that would interest me is coming out, though."

"Don't worry, we can look online and see if there is later."

"Sounds like a plan. It will be better than spending more time moping."

Jacob laughed. "That's a good attitude to have!" he declared.

I had to smile.

At five thirty, Charlie and I went home after eating the dinner that Billy made. Jacob and I renewed our promise to find a movie to see before we left.

Charlie beamed at me as he pulled out of the driveway. "I'm happy to see that you and Jacob are good friends. You two seemed to be having fun," he commented.

I nodded. "Yeah, we have fun sometimes. Neither of us really do anything except talk, though."

"Ohhh. Well, it's nice that you're going to do something together."

"Mm-hmm, it is."

XXX

The first half of the week passed by without trouble. Everything went in its usual routine, excluding occasional phone calls from Jacob.

I looked up movies that were coming out soon. It was a minute before we agreed on _Sky High _and _N__ight Watch_. Both were premiering the next Friday.

"We can go to Port Angeles around noon on Saturday if you like?" I offered.

"Sure, sure. That would be cool. But you'll have to pick me up," he remarked.

"That won't be an issue. I will let you know when I am going to be on my way."

"Awesome. Thanks."

"No, problem."

On Wednesday night, there was a chance to have a stroll the yard. Charlie was home this time; I would be able to get his help if I needed it.

I scanned the edge of the tree-line to make sure that nothing was there before going out. The hot, damp air was nearly stifling, but not enough for me to reconsider taking my walk. I was glad that I didn't need my jacket for once.

This evening, I ambled more slowly than usual. I had no desire to sweat more than I already was. It was bad enough that there was hardly any wind.

My first trips around the yard were uneventful. I was pretty much lost in my head, thinking of unimportant stuff. I was passing by the forest's edge the tenth time when the hairs on the back on my neck rose. I also had a feeling that I was being watched.

I turned to the house's kitchen window, but I didn't see Charlie there. There was no one/nothing behind me either.

However, as I was about to continue my walk, something in the trees caught my attention. I faced them to see the golden eyes that I saw last Tuesday. And this time, they were closer...and taller than I was. They were not in the same place that they were, though.

Quivering, I started to back away in a very slow pace. The eyes did not move forward to trail after me. Not that it mattered. Whatever those eyes belonged to was likely planning to attack me before I could get too far.

It seemed like forever when my back hit the house's wall. I edged along it before opening the door and hurrying inside.

Nothing but a pair of shoe prints were on the ground when Charlie had gone to find out whatever owned those eyes. They were the same shape as they were the last time, but in a different place. How odd. People didn't have gold or yellow eyes. Not anyone that I knew or saw, that is.

I frowned in confusion as I headed upstairs to my room. I had just started to realize something. If whatever the eyes belonged to desired to attack me, it would have done it already and injured or killed me. The eyes never moved or vanished the entire time that I had backed away. They just kept gazing at me. I had no idea why an animal would take that much interest in me if it wasn't going to attack me.

The next thing that I did was the last thing that I ever expected myself to do. I decided to check out what bore those eyes.

I didn't know why, but I began to feel that whatever it was may not be dangerous after all. It _could_ be looking at the eyes of a harmless animal...perhaps an owl or something.

Whatever it was, I aimed to find out on the next evening that it wasn't raining.

(_Two days later_)

Luckily, that evening came on Friday.

I chose not to have a stroll this time. I planned to sit down and wait to see if the eyes would return.

Once I had eaten (or rather, picked at) my dinner, I let Charlie know that I would be in the yard.

"Be careful," he warned. "Let me know if something happens."

"You know I will," I remarked, being half-truthful. I lugged one of the kitchen chairs outside and placed it near the door. I sat down with a book; I didn't know how long I would be waiting for the eyes to come. Assuming that they would at all, anyway.

I opened my novel and started to read. After every ten pages, I looked to see if the eyes were in the trees. There was no sign of them by page thirty; I was a fast reader.

When I didn't see them by page one hundred, I decided to give up if they did not show up by page 140. I was jittery with impatience at this point. I hoped that they would come.

And finally they did around page 115. I had glanced at the trees randomly and saw them staring at me. I tentatively rose to my feet with a small smile.

The eyes peered at me with intensity as I started to creep over to them warily. They never moved.

A minute later, I stopped just at the forest's edge. I was too cautious to actually go past it.

Perhaps the owner of the eyes knew this...because they remained in their spot. Then, almost imperceptibly, they moved forward just as slowly as I had approached the trees. I looked behind me again to see if Charlie happened to be watching before turning to the eyes. They had paused-they were in the same place that they were before I had turned away-but moved after I refocused my attention on them.

To my complete and utter surprise, the eyes belonged to a _man_! An incredibly handsome man at that. He had perfectly chiseled facial features, golden-blonde hair, and of course, amber eyes. He was about six feet tall.

I wondered about his eyes mostly. They made me wonder if he was a human, or if something happened to make them that color.

"Um...hello. You were what...well, _who _really...had been here all this time?" I inquired in a whisper.

He nodded silently.

I pursed my lips. "You're not going to hurt me, are you?" I questioned next.

He shook his head earnestly.

Sighing in relief, I began to feel less nervous. "Who are you? _What_ are you?"

I didn't know why I asked him this, but I couldn't help it. He looked like a god, demigod, or an angel.

He didn't look offended or upset. In fact, he actually smiled for a brief minute.

"My name is Carlisle," he responded in an amazingly ethereal, heavenly voice. "And it is funny that you ask what am I because I _am_ also a what."

"R-Really?"

"Yes. Now to answer your question...I am a vampire."

(A/N: **PLEASE REVIEW! **Ihope that you enjoyed this chapter. I had been busy with school. Otherwise, I would have updated sooner.)


	4. Learning About Carlisle

"A...A vampire?" I gasped in disbelief.

Carlisle nodded solemnly.

I frowned. "But vampires drain people's blood. They _kill_ human beings. If you're a vampire, then you really _are_ going to hurt me! You're probably going to kill me right now!"

He pursed his lips. "Yes, I would...if I fed like most vampires do. I would have done so already if I did. However, hurting and killing people is the last thing that I would ever want to do. Furthermore, I never drank human blood in my existence."

This caused me to gape at him. "Never? Then how are you surviving?"

"By drinking the blood of animals. It is not as good as human blood, I suppose, but it does keep me strong."

I really could not believe what I was hearing. "This is all a joke, right? Are you just wearing colored contacts and pulling my leg?" I demanded.

At this, he threw back his head and chuckled. His laughter sounded like indescribably wonderful music.

"Oh, if only I were," he sighed. "No, I am not joking at all. I can give you proof that I'm not."

"Ummm..." I peered at my watch. "Not tonight. My dad is probably wondering why I haven't gone in yet. Maybe you can come here the next time it isn't raining? I would like you to tell me about yourself."

Carlisle grinned. "It would be my pleasure. What time?"

I thought it over. "After sunset will be fine, but I don't know. I might not be able to talk to you for long if my dad isn't working his night shift. He's the Chief of Police here."

He pursed his lips. "I understand. Well, I hope that that day will be soon. It is nice meeting you. May I know your name? You never told me what it is."

"Bella. Well, it's really Isabella, but I don't like people using my full name."

"That's too bad. Your name is beautiful."

I reddened, feeling pleased over his compliment. "Well...thank you, Carlisle."

"You are welcome. Perhaps you ought to go inside now. You do not want your father to worry."

Turning to the house, I nodded. "I should. It was nice to meet you too, though. Please come to see me again."

"Certainly. Until then." He offered me his hand.

I had just placed mine in his when it felt as if electricity ran along my arm. We both jumped...he clearly felt it too. However, we laughed it off as we shook each other's hand.

"Good-bye, Isabella. Take care of yourself," he stated.

"You too, Carlisle. See you later," I remarked, surprised that I didn't feel upset about him calling me Isabella. But I liked how he said my name for reasons unknown to me.

He waved and turned to leave, vanishing into the darkness.

I strolled over to the chair I had left by the wall. I lifted it up and took it and my novel inside. Then I looked for Charlie; he was sleeping in the living room. I decided not to bother him. He would probably wake up later and go to his room.

With that in mind, I headed upstairs to my own room. I put on my nightclothes before laying down to read my novel some more.

My thoughts wandered to Carlisle as I did. I really looked forward to seeing him again. Truthfully, I was more excited for him to visit me than I was about visiting Jacob, even though I didn't understand why.

Carlisle was intriguing and mysterious. I didn't know whether or not to believe that he was a vampire. His eyes were odd enough. They were unlike anyone's that I had ever known or seen in my life. I remembered at that moment that he was paler than I was. That was saying something because not many people were. Not as much as I was. He also looked _way_ too perfect to be human.

If he honestly was a vampire, I didn't know how I would react. I just hoped that he wouldn't maim or kill me after sufficiently proving that he was one.

XXX

The day that Charlie had his night shift was on Monday. Unfortunately, a storm was rolling through, bringing torrential rain with it. I would not be seeing Carlisle at all. I was disappointed.

I felt better when I remembered that Charlie had night shifts for the rest of the week, however. There was still an opportunity for at least one good evening. I would even be able to see him on Friday unless Jacob and I returned from the movies late. Not that that was likely. We would be leaving Port Angeles near 5:00pm.

Nothing major happened on Tuesday. I just lounged around and watched TV. Charlie slept until I had gotten ready to fix dinner.

On Wednesday, luck came to me. There was no rain, but it was still overcast. At least it wasn't muggy like it had been a week ago. I felt hopeful. If the weather stayed like this, Carlisle would be able to visit me.

I noticed that the food was running out, so I went grocery shopping. It took a half hour to buy what I needed to get. I returned home and put everything in the freezer and refrigerator. After that, I made sure that Charlie was okay.

My mood brightened when it still didn't rain by the time he woke up at three. There was no indication that it would at dinnertime either, which was at five thirty.

"You seem happier today," Charlie observed while we ate.

"I am a bit happy. I'm just looking forward to going to the movies with Jacob," I lied.

He nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I hope that you two enjoy yourselves and that the films you watch aren't boring."

We shared a laugh.

"Thanks, Dad."

At six, he left for work, reminding me to take care of myself. "Let me know if something happens."

"I will."

Because sunset was not until after eight, I decided to watch a movie to pass time. I eventually found one that I hadn't seen in years-_E.T. the Extra Terrestrial_.

It was just over when I noticed that the sky had darkened. I grinned as I switched off the TV. I quickly put on my wooden flip-flops and half-ran out of the back door.

Carlisle's golden eyes were the first thing I saw when I peered into the woods. I ambled over to the edge of the trees. He approached me as I waited there for him. The moon broke through the clouds when he stood in front of me.

I smiled at him a little. "Hi Carlisle. It's nice to see you," I greeted.

"Hello, Isabella. Same to you. How are you?" he inquired.

"Fine. You?" I returned, blushing from the secret pleasure of him using my formal name.

"Pretty good. Have you done anything special over the past few days?"

"No, not really. Just hung around. What have you been up to since last Friday?"

He cocked his head. "Traveling all over the state and hunting, mostly."

I nodded. "Ohhh."

We grew quiet for a moment. Then he cleared his throat.

"You want me to prove to you that I am a vampire now, I'm sure?" he asked next.

Shrugging, I responded, "Only if you feel like it. You don't have to if you don't."

"But I do. There is a clearing about a yard away. Would you like to join me, Isabella?"

"Yes, as long as you promise not to harm me or worse."

He laughed while making a crossing motion over his heart, then raising his hand. "I honestly swear that I will not. You have my word."

I could tell that he meant it, so I jerked my head at the woods. "Thank you. Lead the way, then, sir."

"Very well, miss."

We chuckled as I followed him into the trees with partial wariness. Carlisle gently took my hand so that I would not lose sight of him in the darkness. I felt electricity tingling up to my elbow during the whole time.

This was the second time that this happened. I didn't understand why I kept experiencing this.

As I mulled this over, we entered the aforementioned clearing. The light of the moon cast a silver glow on it.

He gestured to a pair of mossy tree stumps. "Why don't we sit here and make ourselves comfortable?"

"Okay."

We did just that. Carlisle brightened as I turned to look at him.

"So...what would you like to know first?" he questioned.

I smiled back. "Um...Well, I'd liked to know how long you've been a vampire. I also want to know how you changed into one...if you really _are_ a vampire, that is," I added.

He nodded. "I have been a vampire since 1663, which is about 342 years, give or take a few. I was changed because a vampire in a sewer had bitten my neck and injected his venom in me."

I frowned in confusion. "What were you doing down there?"

"At the time, I was a pastor in my father's church back in London. He was the reverend and had lead hunts for witches, werewolves, and vampires when I was a young boy and teenager. By the time I became a pastor at the age of 23, he was 48. He was getting too old to lead the hunts, so I was put in charge. (I am still 23 in human years, by the way.)

"Father never knew where the vampires were, but I did. They were hiding in the sewer that I mentioned earlier. On my first hunt...which was my last...I attempted to confront them, but a male one bit me. Then he and his coven murdered the people in my group as I crawled to a nearby vegetable cellar.

"I remained there for three nights during my transformation. When I woke up to this life, I knew that my father would have me killed if he ever saw me. So, I took a few pairs of clothing one night when he was not home. I also took an heirloom of my dead mother that he had bequeathed to me. (She had died giving birth to me.) After that, that, I hid in a forest miles away from London to isolate myself from humans."

He gazed into the trees. "I miss Father still...and Mother. I wish that I had known her."

My emotions were a combination of awe, dismay, and sympathy. I knew how he felt. "I'm sorry for your losses, Carlisle."

"Thank you, Isabella. But you don't have to be. They have both passed away long before now."

I inclined my head. "Okay. When did you learn that you could survive on animal blood?" I queried.

"Three months after hiding in the woods. I was starving by this time because I refused to drink human blood just to live. Not that we vampires can die from starving...it is impossible.

"But moving along, I was in the forest when I smelled blood coming from a herd of deer nearby. My throat burned and ached so horribly that I was desperate for relief. I attacked one of them and drained its blood. The strength that I had when I had first become a vampire returned to me. Ever since then, I have been glad to know that I did not have to kill humans. That is last thing that I ever want to do to someone besides harming them," he replied.

"Ohhhh. What were things like for you after that?"

Carlisle leaned forward. "I travel the world on and off as a nomad. The only time I usually stay in one place is if I am working as a physician and therapist, or studying to be a doctor so that I can renew my license after a certain number of years pass."

I was taken aback. "You're a physician and a therapist?"

"Every once in a while. I have actually worked here in town in the 1930's. The cloudy and rain weather allow me to go out in the daytime. I stayed outside of town with my immediate family, who I visit once or twice a month if I am traveling.

"I have an adoptive sister named Esme who I raise our children with. Not that you can call them children. They are technically teenagers or adults. I have three sons named Edward, Emmett and Jasper. I also have three daughters. named Alice, Maggie, and Rosalie. Edward and Maggie are soul mates, age 17 in human years. Rosalie is Emmett's soul mate. She is 18 and he is 20. Alice and Jasper, who are also soul mates, are both 19. Esme's soul mate, Alistair, is their adoptive stepfather. I changed all of them except Alice, Jasper, Maggie, and Alistair."

"Where are they?"

"In Alaska with other family members who we call our cousins. There are Carmen and Eleazar, who are soul mates, Irina, Tanya, and Kate."

Pursing my lips, I said, "Mmm. I bet you miss them."

He grinned. "Yes. I had visited them last week, but I miss them already."

Neither of us spoke for a while as I absorbed everything that he told me. I glanced at my watch to see that more than a half an hour had gone by.

"Carlisle, you mentioned something about soul mates," I pointed out.

"Ahhh, yes. Every vampire has a true other half. Sometimes it takes hundreds of years to find them, but when one does, he or she is instantly bonded to them," he remarked.

"That makes a lot of sense. So what brings you back here to Forks?"

He ran his fingers through his hair. "I came by here to see how the town has changed. It never really had, except for the modern cars and technology. The hospital, schools, and gas stations are also somewhat different."

I snorted. "I know what you mean. Forks never really does change that much. It's small and kind of away from everything."

"You are right about that," he agreed.

My foot traced a pattern in the dirt. "The only reason why I asked that question is because I want to know why you were interested in me. You have been watching me on two separate days. How come?"

Carlisle pondered over my question. "Well, to be honest, I was running by this area for the first time in sixty-eight years. I happened to smell your scent, and it made me curious. No one had ever lived here back in the 1930's.

"So, I went to find out who did now. That is when I saw you pacing around your back yard. There was something about you that made you appear rather heartbroken. I wondered why. You have a decent house, and you have a father who obviously cares for you."

I exhaled deeply. "Nothing about my house dissatisfies me. My sadness has nothing to do with my dad either. It's just that my mom died in a car accident nearly a month ago. Someone plowed into her vehicle and just took off. He or she hasn't been found yet. It's been very hard on me. I miss her terribly," I told him in a low voice.

His expression became one of pity. "I'm sorry that this happened, Isabella. I know that you love her very much."

"Thank you. I do. I still can't believe that she's gone."

"Would you like to talk about it more?"

I shook my head. "Not tonight, but maybe next time. It's getting late and I want more proof that you're a vampire."

He nodded. "I understand. Well, I will show you my strength and speed first before I give you more information about what we are," he announced.

Carlisle proceeded to do just that. I was floored when he lifted up an entire boulder and zoomed around the clearing so fast that I was unable to see him. He also jumped more than halfway up a tree.

Afterwards, he told me about a vampire's vision and sense of smell. He also explained that vampires never slept and that they didn't fry up in sunlight. The truth was that their cold, hard skin sparkled like diamonds. This was why they could only go out during cloudy or rainy weather, or at night, of course.

He reminded me that it was impossible for vampires to die from starvation. In fact, the only way that they could was if they were torn apart and set on fire.

Next, he told me about when he had changed Esme, Edward, Emmett and Rosalie. They had all been turned for different reasons.

Esme was about to die from injuries that she had sustained when she had tried to commit suicide by jumping off a cliff back in 1921. Her infant son, Charles Jr, had passed away the day before, and she couldn't bear to live. Carlisle found her on the brink of death in a hospital's morgue in Wisconsin. After much thought, he changed her to give her a second chance at life.

Edward had been in a hospital too, in Chicago in 1918. He had been there with his parents because all three of them had Spanish Influenza. His father, Edward Sr., had died first. His mother Elizabeth knew that she was going to also, and she didn't want Edward to die either. She asked Carlisle to do everything in his power to save him.

"I believe that she knew that I was not human somehow. Nevertheless, I did turn him into a vampire at an apartment that I was renting to save Edward like she had begged me to," Carlisle remarked.

Rosalie had been found on a street in Rochester, NY. in 1933. Carlisle saw her laying in a pool of her own blood. It wasn't until later when she told him that her ex-fiancé Royce King and his friends had gang-raped her. Then they had left her for dead. He changed her because she didn't deserve to die so young. She was only 18, after all.

"She was not too happy about it at first. Not when she realized that she could never have children and never grow old. But she did come around eventually."

Rosalie definitely had two years later, when she had brought Emmett to him. He had been mauled by a bear in the woods not far from where they "lived". She had pleaded for Carlisle to change him, and he agreed to.

Alice and Jasper had joined his family in 1950. Alice had had a vision of Carlisle and his family. She knew that she and Jasper belonged with them, so they traveled for years to find them.

She had woke up as a vampire in 1920. Jasper had been one since 1863. Before that, he had been a General in the Civil War. He was a Confederate soldier. After he had been changed, he had fought in the Southern Vampire Wars. Years later, he couldn't stand draining humans because he could feel their emotions as he did. When he met Alice, he learned about Carlisle and his family. That was also when she told them that they could live off of animal blood.

"Unfortunately, Jasper is still having trouble with our diet. Nevertheless, he has come a long way."

Carlisle already knew Maggie since the mid-1800s. She had been in Ireland with her other adoptive parents, Liam and Siobhan. He and his family had visited them in 1967. That was how Edward learned that Maggie was his soul mate.

Alistair had been a nomadic vampire from England too. However, he settled down with Esme in 1992 when she had found him as she was hunting. This was when they were staying in New Hampshire. They drawn to each other instantly and had been joined at the hip ever since. Alistair even changed his diet for her, knowing that she wanted him to.

"Not that he didn't like the idea, you understand. He only desired for her to be happy. Alistair truthfully found it easier than Jasper to get used to drinking animal blood. He eventually married Esme that same year."

He had met his cousins in Denali, Alaska years after he changed Esme and Edward. They used to drink human blood too, but they had wanted to find a way to change their diet for a long time. Carlisle didn't have a problem with helping them. All of them eventually grew close and became a second family to him.

He explained that some vampires had special abilities too. Alice had visions of the future, but they were subjective. A new decision would change everything. Alistair had exceptional tracking skills. Edward could read minds. Jasper could feel and control other people's emotions. Maggie knew when somebody was lying. Kate was able to shock people and vampires with electric.

Finally, Carlisle mentioned the Volturi. The leaders were named Aro, Caius, and Marcus and they were practically vampire royalty. They had made laws for them and other vampires, but not that many. Some laws were more important than others.

They were never supposed to draw attention to themselves. Nor were they allowed to tell people what they were.

"Of course, I had broken both of these rules," he pointed out.

"Yeah," I laughed.

Another major law was that vampires were never allowed to change anyone under 16 into an immortal. Children and young teenagers had unstable feeding patterns. If they became a vampire, it always spelled disaster.

"It happened before with my cousins. Their original coven leader and adoptive mother, Sasha, had turned a young three-year-old boy named Vasilii into an immortal. He had wiped out whole villages. The Volturi quickly learned of this and eventually destroyed him and Sasha in front of Tanya, Irina and Kate. None of them knew about Vasilii until then. This was nearly six centuries before I was changed, and eight before Carmen and Eleazar joined them."

By the time Carlisle had finished telling me everything, there was no way that I could deny that he was a vampire. His strength, speed, and the height that he was able to jump further proved that he was.

I also believed that he would never intentionally hurt me now. He had explained that if he had red eyes like the vampires that drained humans did, I wouldn't be alive.

"You don't know how relieved that makes me feel," I stated.

"Good. I'm happy to know that it does."

"Mmm."

Neither of us spoke for a bit, then I exhaled deeply.

"Well, I need to be going inside now. It's almost 10:30."

Carlisle's eyes widened. "Is it really? Time certainly has flown by quickly."

I smiled. "Yes, it has. It's not a bad thing, though. We did enjoy ourselves as you told your story."

"That we have. Let me escort you safely back to your house then, miss. I do not want you to get lost."

We stood and I allowed him to take my hand. I realized that I liked him holding it. Although his skin felt like freezing marble and made electric tingle my own, there was something about his touch that pleased me. I didn't understand why, however.

Before long, he and I were out of the forest. He let go of my hand at this point now that I was able to take in my surroundings. I found myself secretly wishing that he hadn't.

"Here we are," he declared as we stopped in front of my house's back door. "I hope that I didn't bore you this evening."

"Of course not. I enjoyed listening to you and watching you prove that you're an immortal. Maybe I can tell you about me the next time you visit...if you decide to visit me again," I added.

Carlisle beamed. "I would truly like that. It will be interesting to learn about you."

I grinned. "Maybe. I haven't existed as long as you have. My story is a lot shorter than yours."

He chuckled. "I am still quite certain that your life has been interesting." Then he squeezed my hand. "Well, Isabella, I have to leave. Please take care of yourself. I know that your mother's passing has devastated you, and I hope that you recover in time. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to let you know who I am."

"Don't mention it. And thank _you_, Carlisle. You made me feel better than I had in a week or so."

"You are welcome."

My face tingled when he lifted my hand to kiss it lightly. I squeezed his for a moment, then released it.

"Good-bye, dear. I will try to see you the next time that it isn't raining," he promised.

I nodded with a smile. "I look forward to that day. Good-bye, Carlisle."

He waved and jogged back to the forest. I waved back as he did one last time before he disappeared.

After he was gone, I went inside the house. I realized that I missed him already as I headed upstairs to me room. If only he didn't have to leave...

Perhaps I felt this way because I liked him. It was hard not to like him. Carlisle was very kind and easy-going, even for a vampire. He was understanding and respectful of me too. He knew not to overstep my boundaries, and gave me room to accept him once I believed who and what he was.

Truthfully, I enjoyed spending time with him more than I did with Jacob. Not that I didn't like Jacob, or didn't have fun with him. He was turning into a good friend.

And if everything kept going the way it does with Carlisle, he and I will end up having a solid friendship too.

(A/N: **PLEASE REVIEW!** _Happy holidays to all of you!_ I just wanted to leave you a gift to read for Christmas [to those of you who celebrate it.] Maggie is really 15 in human years, but I decided to make her 17 in my story. I hope you still like the chapter. Until next time!)


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